Siphon



May 20,1941- M. H. LOUGHRIDGE 2,242,401

SIPHON Filed Aug. 6, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 www ,7///// ATTORNEY.

May 20, 1941. M H. LOUGHRIDGE 2,242,401

SIPHON Filed Aug. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -257 Hl I 246 l 29@ ATTORNEY.

Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIPHON Matthew H.Loughridge, Bogota, N. J.

Application August 6, 1938, Serial No. 223,514

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a Siphon System for controlling the flow ofliquids by gravity. An object of the invention is to provide a Siphonattachment for closed containers; another object is to provide a Siphonattachment for-.closed containers with a valve that is operated by theattachment and another object of the invention is to provide a Siphonattachment for a container with means for controlling the Siphon.

Other objects of the invention will be more particularly understood fromthe following Specification and the accompanying drawings Showingseveral forms of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation, in section, of the Siphon attachment;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the to-p member of the attachment at rightangles to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an elevation and Fig. 4 is a plan View from the bottom of thevalve member;

Fig. 5 is a cross Section on line |5-I5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail and Fig. 7 is a closed container to which the Siphonhas been attached.

Fig. 8 is a modied form shown in elevation, and partly sectioned, of theSiphon attachment, and

Fig. 9 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a Siphon and tank, partly sectioned, with a valve on theintake.

The present invention is, in part, a continuation of the invention in mycoi-pending applications as follows:

Serial No. 755,841, December 3, 1934, now Patent No. 2,131,743, grantedOctober 4, 1938; Serial No. 47,045, October 28, 1935, now Patent No.2,171,579, granted Sept. 5, 1939; Serial N0. 115,149, December 10, 1936,now Patent No. 2,196,999, granted Apr. 16, 1940.

This invention is of general application for controlling the flow ofliquids by the well known Siphon arrangement. As disclosed in Figs. 1 to10, it is applied to a closed container and enables the liquid contentsof the container tobe removed without exposing the liquid and withoutopening the container except when the Siphon is attached thereto. Thisconstruction is important in handling inflammable liquids, or liquidsthat give off poisonousor explosive fumes.

Detachwble Siphon for closed containers The illustrations show adetachable Siphon for closed containers and which is particularly usefulfor containers for volatile liquids which evaporate and increase theinternal pressure. In the construction shown the internal pressure ofthe container is used to start the Siphon which is thereafter continueduntil the container has been emptied. A Venturi nozzle is also providedon the Siphon which may be used for starting the Siphon if internalpressure is absent. Any suitable means may be used to Start the Siphon.

The apparatus comprises a head Secured to the top cover of the containerand having a pipe eX- tending therefrom to the bottom of the container.This head contains a Spring controlled Valve which is normally Seated inthe closed position and in this position the container is Shipped. Whenpart of the contents is to be removed from the container, the Siphontube is attached to the head with a pivotal and locking attachment sothat as it is brought into place it unseats the valve and provides thedirect connection between the pipe in the tank and the outside portionof the Siphon. By a rotary motion or other means the Siphon attachmentis locked in place and the control of the ow to the Siphon is regulatedby a valve in the head which may be operated to break the Siphon whenthe flow is to be discontinued. In order to apply the apparatus to atank that has no internal pressure and that depends upon atmosphericpressure tomaintain the Siphon, a conduit is provided leading to theinterior of the tank and controlled by the Siphon attachment or by acheck valve to supply air as required.

'Ihe Siphon is provided with a Venturi nozzle at the discharge endWhereby'an air blast may be used to start the Siphon. A Venturi nozzleis also provided in the head of the device whereby an air blast may beused to operate the apparatus as a Siphon pump in which the ilowcontinues as long as the air blast ismaintained.

In the drawings, the closed tankis indicated at 225, which is i'llledthrough the plug 22B and is provided with the head 221, having thenozzle 228 connecting to the pipe 229 which discharges through theVenturi nozzle at 230. 'I'he pipe 23| extends into the interior of tank225 and this pipe, with pipe 229, forms a Siphon of the usual type.

The head' 227 is provided with a ilange which rests on the cover 225 andis secured thereto by the threaded end and the Securing nut 233 engagingthe gasket 232. The upper end of the head 227 has a collar 234 formedthereon and in which the valve member 234e slides as controlled bySpring 242 engaging the collar 243 screwed into the head 221. The valve234a has a bevelled upper end as indicated at 235 and has a centralopening 262 from the upper end which connects with the transverseopenings 238 and 239. 'I'he lower part of the valve is provided with acollar 236 having apertures at 231 so as to connect the space 24| withthe space below the valve. The head 221 is provided with a ange 245 uponwhich the collar 246 is seated and is rotatable thereon. This collar hasa pair of lugs 246a supporting the pivot pin 255. The collar 246 has aslot therein at 241, Fig. 1, which, when in a predetermined position,registers with the conduit 248 passing through the head 221 intothe-interior of the tank.'

A second collar 249 is placed on top of the collar 246 and is secured inplace by the 'screw ring 25|). Collar 249 is provided with arcuateledges as indicated in Fig. with a gap at 25| and it is also providedwith a screw 253 which enters a slot in the head 221 to make this collarnon-turning, but to leave suiiicient vertical movement so that it can betightened upon collar 246.

The attachment comprises the cover 258 and the nozzle 228 which issecured to the head through the hinge member 251 engaging pin 255, thelower end of this member being formed in a semi-circle for this purposeas indicated at 256. The opposite side of the cover 258 has a dependingarm 252 with a slot therein to receive the arcuate projections of thecollar 249 so that when the cover engages the pin 255 and the arm 252 ispassed through the opening at 25| and the head rotated in eitherdirection, it is locked in place.

The cover 258 has an internal nozzle at 259 upon which the gasket 26| issecured by the nut 26D. It will be noted from Fig. 1, which shows thevalve in the open position, that the cover 258 has displaced the Valveand forms a continuous sealed connection from the port of the v valvethrough the orifice 263 to the second pipe, and which completes thesiphon from the pipe 23| in the tank. The spring 242 holds the valve234e against the gasket 26| and maintains the seal. vAs soon as thecover 258 is removed the valve 234e is raised by spring 242, therebyclosing the transverse connections 233 and 239 which are now raisedwithin the collar 234 and thus closing the orice of the tank until it isto be used again.

As indicated in Fig. 2, a Venturi nozzle is provided in the cover 258,comprising the member 264, screwed into 258, and having a stem at 265 towhich an air hose may be connected to force an air blast through theaperture 268. A valve 256 is seated by spring 261 to close the outer endof the orice 258 for normal operation. When it is desired to break thesiphon the valve 266 is unseated -by the stem 269 and air is admittedthrough port 219 to break the Siphon. It should be noted that the airblast forced through the nozzle 268 will unseat valve 265 automatically.

The tanks are shipped provided with the heads 221 which may be protectedby a suitable cover. When received, this cover is removed and the Siphoncover 258 is applied to unseat valve 234e and if there is sufficientinternal pressure the siphon is automatically started from thispressure. A valve may be provided in pipe 229 to regulate the flow. Thisvalve is not shown in the drawings. If the internal pressure becomes lowas indicated by a slowing up of the ow through the Siphon, the cover 258is rotated in one direction to register the opening 241 with 243 andthereby restore atmospheric pressure to the interior of the tank. Ifatmospheric pressure is not required the cover 258 is rotated in theopposite direction to avoid the slot 241 registering with 248. When thecover is brought into the position shown in Fig. 5, that is, to theposition in which it is removed, the slot 241 is then out of registerwith 248 and this passage is closed. The siphon may be started by an airblast applied to the Venturi nozzle 230 at the discharge end of theSiphon.

In this construction the valve 234a is automatically closed and standsnormally closed by the action of spring 242 and by the internal pressurein the tank. 'Ihis valve cannot readily be unseated except by the use ofthe siphon attachment and as this attachment is removed the valve isautomatically closed. The contents of the container cannot be spilled asthe pipe 23| passes down to the bottom of the container. The conduit bywhich the liquid is drawn off is at all times closed until it reachesthe discharge nozzle and fire hazards are thereby minimized, and withproper care the liquid cannot be spilled or wasted. This apparatus canbe used for tanks of alcohol, naphtha, or volatile liquids and by theconstruction which establishes atmospheric pressure in the tank it maybe used as a siphon for ordinary liquids.

The body 221 is applied to the top of the tank and contains the springseated valve which normally remains in a closed position. This bodyoiTers little obstruction on the outside of the tank and is not likelyvto be accidentally displaced, or to cause a leak. The valve is unseatedby the attachment of the head 258 with the discharge part of the siphontube. As this head is removed the valve is closed. The head with thecontrolling mechanism for starting and stopping the siphon is located atthe top of the tank and is removed with the siphon tube that is outsidethe tank. There is no permanently established closed siphon to start aleak if the siphon tube is injured.

In the modied form in Fig. 8 the head is shown with a cap thereon asused for shipping purposes, a cam form of lock is used to secure thehead in place and a check valve is used for controlling the air supplyto the interior of the container. In the construction shown, the collar246 is provided with a ledge 285 and is non-turnable. The attachment 258is provided with a lug 286 which engages the collar 285 at 281 and it isprovided with an opposing lug 283 which by pivot 289 secures the cam 298that is operated by handle 29| to engage the collar 285 and lock thecover in place without rotating it.

When the Siphon attachment 258 is removed the hollow cover 280 isscrewed on the threaded end of the stem 221 and seats on the gasket 28|to form a seal, the iiange 282 of this cover protects the end of thedevice. The conduit 248, Fig. 8, is provided with a spring seated checkvalve 284 opening inwardly so that if the pressure in the container isreduced below atmospheric pressure the check valve 284 automati- V callyopens and restores this pressure and thereby maintains the Siphon.

In certain siphon applications the liquid supply at times may be reducedor exhausted, and in order to avoid breaking the siphon under theseconditions, the arrangement in Fig. 10 may be used for the receiving endof the siphon. In this lconstruction the liquid in the tank 225asupports the float 293, which, by lever 294, operates the valve 295 onthe receiving end of the Siphon 229 and when this valve is closed aportion of the liquid is held in the trap 296 which maintains the liquidin the siphon tube up to the bend.

The weight of the float 293 and lever 294 is sufcient to hold the valve295 closed when the liquid is exhausted from the tank 225a, but as theliquid rises in this tank the iloat 293 is lifted and the valve 295 isopened to connect with the liquid in the tank. The valve does not openuntil the liquid in the tank is above the orince.

The nozzle 23B of the siphon may be any device that will start thesiphon, such as a pump, or a venturi that will exhaust or partially.exhaust the air in the siphon pipe.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A siphon system for closed containers, comprising a hollow body insealed connection with the top of the container and having an orificewith a spring seated valve, a tube extending from said body tosubstantially the bottom of the container, a ledge on said ibody, a headdetachably latched to said ledge and a tube secured to said body by saidhead and forming with the tube in the container a siphon and means forunseating said valve when the head is attached to the body.

2. A siphon system comprising a container, a hollow body connected withthe top of the container and having an orice with a spring seated valve,a tube sealed to and extending from said body to substantially thebottom of the container, a ledge on said body, a head pivoted at oneside to said body to swing over the top of said body and detachablylatched to said ledge, a pipe secured to said head and forming with thetube in the container a siphon for emptying said container when the headis secured to said body, said head displacing said valve to complete theconnection between said tube and pipe, as said head is latched to saidbody, means in said siphon for starting the siphon and means forstopping the siphon.

3. A Siphon system comprising a closed container, a hollow body insealed connection with the top of the container and having an orifice, atube extending from said body to substantially the bottom of saidcontainer, a head for said body, a tube secured to said head and formingwith the tube in the container a siphon for emptying said container whenthe head is secured to said body and an independent vent for saidcontainer controlled by said head.

4. A Siphon system comprising a sealed container, a tube extendingthrough the wall of said container into the container and sealed to saidwall, a removable head for said tube, a pipe secured to said head andforming with the twbe in the container a siphon for emptying thecontainer when the head is secured to the tube, means for locking saidhead on said tube by rotating the head on the tube and a vent for saidcontainer independent of said tube controlled by the rotation of saidhead.

5. A siphon system comprising a sealed container, a tube extending intosaid container and sealed thereto, a removable head for said tube, apipe secured to said head and forming with the tube in the container aSiphon for emptying the container when the head is secured in place,means for locking said head to said tube by rotating the head in eitherdirection from a central point and a vent for said container opened whenthe head is rotated in one direction and closed when the head is rotatedin the opposite direction.

6. A Siphon system comprising a container, a tube extending through thewall of said container into the container, a removable head for saidtube located on the top of the container, a pipe secured to said headand forming with said tube a siphon for emptying the container when thehead is in place, means for locking said head to said tube and a nozzlein said head for starting the Siphon.

7. A Siphon system comprising a container, a tube extending into saidcontainer, a hollow body secured and sealed to the end of said tube andconnected with the top of the container, having, a valve with a slidingstem in said body for opening and closing said tube, biased means forholding said valve in the closed position, a head for said bodypivotally connected at one side to said body to swing over the top ofsaid body and latched in place at the opposite side, a pipe secured tosaid head and forming with said tube a siphon for emptying thecontainer, said head engaging said valve as it is moved to the latchingposition and moving it against its bias to open the siphon.

MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE.

